There are not very many auto pistols that
reach legendary status. Models come and go every year, but not
too many have the staying power to be in production for decades.
A few come to mind; the Browning Hi Power, Colt 1911, the
Walther PPK, the Luger, and the broom-handle Mauser. Those
latter two are more famous for being very different and advanced
for their time period than for being anything really special. Of
course, the Colt 1911 is the most famous and copied auto pistol
in the world, and if imitation really is the sincerest form of
flattery, then the CZ 75 also qualifies for legendary status.

Introduced in 1975, the CZ 75 was developed
in Czechoslovakia, well behind the Iron Curtain. If it were not
for the writings of Jeff Cooper,
the CZ might have went unnoticed in the Western world, at least
until the fall of the Iron Curtain several years later. Mr.
Cooper was greatly fond of the design, recognizing its strong
design features and good ergonomics early on. Mr. Cooper pushed
for the development of the CZ design in a 10mm cartridge, which
culminated in the now defunct Bren Ten. The Bren was an
excellent pistol, but never got fully off the ground as a
production gun. Vltor Weapons Systems of Tucson, AZ is trying at
this time to bring back the Bren Ten as the Fortis
Pistol, and many folks are eagerly awaiting the production
of that weapon, myself included.

The CZ 75 has several design features that
make it worthy of imitation. The internal slide rails impressed
me many years ago as a better way to build an auto pistol. The
double action trigger design also features a single action mode
that allows for cocked-and-locked carry, just like on a 1911 or
Hi Power, but the double action feature is still there for those
who prefer a double action first shot. The grip design of the CZ
75 feels great in my hand, and most others have the same opinion
after wrapping their fist around the CZ. The tang extends over
the web of the hand, protecting it from hammer or slide bite.
The CZ 75 has a right-handed-only thumb safety, but the later CZ
85 adds an ambidextrous safety for those left-handed shooters
such as myself. The trigger reach on the CZ 75 can be a bit long
for those with small hands, but in single action
cocked-and-locked mode, the trigger is easy to reach, even
shorter than on most 1911 pistols.

The CZ 75 design uses the Browning
short-recoil tilting breech design, with a kidney-shaped slot
below the barrel through which the slide latch pin passes. The
barrel has multiple lugs atop to engage recesses milled into the
slide. The lock-up is very tight, with little if any discernable
play between the slide, barrel, and frame. Reliability is
paramount in a fighting pistol, and the CZ design has excellent
reliability. It is also one of the most durable designs extant.
It is just extremely hard to wear one out by shooting it.

The current CZ 75B incorporates a firing pin
block, to prevent firing if the weapon is dropped onto its
muzzle. The firing pin cannot move unless the trigger is pulled.
The 75B also has a flat-front trigger guard that is laterally
serrated for the placement of the forefinger of the support
hand. It was once very popular to hold a pistol in that manner,
and I still prefer to do so today. The CZ 75B has a very good
set of sights, using the three-white-dot pattern. The rear sight
is drift-adjustable for windage correction.

Besides the aforementioned Bren Ten, there
have been a few other very successful copies of the CZ 75
design, and some are still popular today. The EAA Witness
pistols are very good, reliable, strong pistols, and are some of
the better CZ copies. The Magnum Research Baby Eagle, the
Israeli BUL, and the Italian Tanfoglio pistols all owe their
heritage to the CZ 75. All have made subtle changes to the
design, but none are improvements. The simple, reliable CZ
action with its ability to be carried cocked-and-locked is still
the best method of operation, in my opinion.

Critical specifications for the CZ-75 are
listed in the chart below. The weights are listed in ounces, and
linear measurements in inches. The grip and frame widths were
measured at their widest parts. The maximum width is measured
across the slight ambidextrous thumb rests. The height includes
the sights and magazine base. The trigger pull on the CZ was a
little gritty at first, but smoothed out after a few dozen
rounds. The single action pull is very good, with a smooth
release, and the double action pull is smooth and even
throughout its travel. The trigger pull is listed as pounds of
pressure.

Weight

34.8

Height

5.46

Length

8.12

Slide Width

0.93

Maximum Grip Width

1.39

Frame Width

1.00

Maximum Width

1.42

Trigger Pull (SA)

5.1

Trigger Pull (DA)

8.2

Trigger Reach (SA)

2.75

Trigger Reach (DA)

3.04

Barrel Length

4.59

Magazine Capacity

16

I fired the CZ-75 with every type of 9mm
ammunition I had in stock. I also fired a variety of ammunition
over the chronograph to check velocities, with the results
listed in the chart below. Velocities are listed in
feet-per-second. Bullet weights are listed in grains. JHP is a
jacketed hollowpoint bullet. DPX is a hollow nose homogenous
copper bullet. FP is a frangible, pre-fragmented flatnose
bullet. FMJ is a full metal jacket roundnose bullet. PB is Cor-Bon
Pow’RBall, a specialty hollowpoint bullet with a polymer
insert to insure expansion and to prevent the hollow nose from
clogging with clothing or other material. Velocities were taken
at an elevation of 541 feet above sea level, with an air
temperature of ninety-one degrees Fahrenheit and sixty-one
percent humidity. Accuracy was tested with the CZ clamped into
my Ransom Master Rest, with the
target set at twenty-five yards. Group sizes are listed in
inches.

Ammunition

Bullet Weight

Velocity

Group Size

WCC NATO FMJ

124

1126

1.500

Buffalo Bore +P JHP

115

1413

1.625

Buffalo Bore +P+ JHP

124

1294

2.000

Buffalo Bore +P JHP

115

1302

1.500

Buffalo Bore +P JHP

147

1150

3.500

Cor-Bon +P JHP

115

1310

1.250

Cor-Bon Pow’RBall

100

1355

2.250

Cor-Bon +P DPX

115

1161

2.250

International Cartridge
FP

100

1220

3.120

The CZ 75 proved to be one hundred percent
reliable with every type of ammunition fed it. No failures to
feed, fire, or extract were experienced. It ran perfectly, just
as I expected it to do. Accuracy was also very good, as can be
seen in the chart above. The CZ preferred the lighter weight
bullets for best accuracy, and I also prefer the 115 grain class
of bullets for best performance. With some loads, the CZ 75
displayed match-grade accuracy, and even did extremely well with
surplus WCC military ball ammunition. The CZ 75 is built
primarily of steel, and is easy to shoot, and easy to shoot
well. Recoil is light, and the grip handles the recoil very
well, for the ability to get back on target quickly. The CZ 75
is a dandy sidearm; a rugged and reliable fighting pistol.
Weighing in at just over thirty-four ounces, the pistol carries
well on the belt, and packs seventeen rounds of 9mm firepower.

The CZ 75 is still made today in the original
location, in what is now called the Czech Republic. CZ firearms
are distributed in the United States by CZ-USA, located in
Kansas City, Kansas. The CZ 75 and its descendants are highly
reliable, very well-built pistols that rose from an obscure
beginning to become one of the best auto pistol designs in the
world.

Check out the entire line of CZ rifles,
pistols, and shotguns online at www.cz-usa.com.

For the location of a CZ dealer near you,
click on the DEALER FINDER at www.lipseys.com.